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Tamron Hall opens up about sister's murder: 'No one deserves what happened' to her

by Scott Stump / Apr.07.2016 / 12:34 PM ET / Source: TODAY

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Twelve years after enduring a haunting tragedy, TODAY's Tamron Hall is opening up about the murder of her older sister.

"No one deserves what happened to my sister,” Hall told People in its latest issue. "For a long time I was hesitant about sharing our story. I didn't want to be another well-known person saying, 'Look what happened to me and my family.' But then I said, screw that. I can save a life."

In 2004, Hall's sister Renate, 48, a mother of two, was murdered in her Houston home, where her body was found floating in her backyard pool. The crime came after years of relationships with abusive men, and no arrests were made. The case remains unsolved.

Hall has found solace in working with domestic violence groups Safe Horizon and Day One with Renate's sons, Damon, 41, and Leroy, 38. Renate had struggled with alcohol while raising her two boys but had turned her life around and gotten a promotion at her job at a bank before tragedy struck.

Renate's death also has had an effect on Hall's own relationships with men.

"I’ve been engaged a couple of times — thank God no one was abusive,” Hall said. “My friends call me the runaway bride.”

Her experiences with her sister and her work with the advocacy organizations has also allowed her to help others close to her.

"I got a private email from an NBC colleague saying she’d left an abusive relationship and she wanted to thank me,” Hall said. “I’ve been given the opportunity to make a difference.”